Building Renovations | Berlin Style

Renovated and Readapted building types in Berlin

One of Berlin's very distinctive charm is the mix of the old and new. A conviction for keeping the "old" spaces and transforming them to adapt to contemporary necessities can be seen all around the city.

"Old" spaces can be differentiated between 2 periods:

-What survived WWII which means 19th and early 20th century buildings, from Prussian style to Bauhaus designs.

-And what was built after WWII and before the fall of the Berlin Wall during the 50's and 60's.

Contemporary necessities in Berlin are determined by the Berliners' life style, like:

-The big international community

-The peculiar artistic scene

-The start-up, co-working and freelance culture

-The young vibe that stays in Berliners no matter their age

-The "less is more" way of life

... and many more that we'll be discovering.

Berlin is always under-construction, with extensive empty land in the middle of the city. The reconstruction involves not only single buildings but an important urban planning and strategy.

Due to its unique history, the city consists of several city centers and this encouraged a strategy to keep and promote every center with a certain hierarchy for not leaving areas behind.

City centers are a mix of different land uses and are driven primordially by the impulse that retail trade can bring.

This way, for example, an area that was once industrial becomes a new city center with an adapted factory for shopping and event spaces.

Many readapted and restored buildings are part of the 7,500 monuments in Berlin. The reuse of this spaces is a way of giving life back to some parts of the city that became abandoned after the war.

Case studies:

-Bikini Berlin: Former offices and production site of "The Berlin center for ladies' clothing" into concept mall with hotel, shops and more.

-The WYE: Former Post Office building into cultural/experimental space.